Lyra stood in the bathroom, staring into the mirror. She was disgusted by herself. It was wrong the way she felt, right? A mare wasn't supposed to love another mare. Stallions and mares were supposed to be in love, so why did Lyra feel this way? The mint green mare held a photograph in her hooves, standing on her hind legs. This was something she often did in the privacy of her home or around only a single pony.
She looked down at the image in her hooves and smiled as tears appeared at the corner of her eyes. She swallowed hard at the lump in her throat. The unicorn took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. She opened them again and had a cooler, calmer reaction to the picture.
It showed a beautiful sandy colored pony with a curly purple and pink mane. She had three pieces of candy on her rump and sky blue eyes. She had a quirky smile that was made even quirkier with the braces that were plastered onto her teeth. The filly was on a scooter riding down the only smooth pathway the park had. Otherwise, the clumsy filly fell off the scooter and (many times) nearly broke her skull.
A warm, loving face seized Lyra's previous emotion of overwhelming dread. Bon Bon was ten years old in this photograph. They were sixteen years old now and ever since she turned fourteen, Lyra had been hiding a mortifying secret. The green unicorn giggled at how adorable Bon Bon appeared with a tad of pink flaring up on her cheeks. Lyra sighed in recollection of their filly years, the years they spent everyday together. Lyra could hardly look at Bon Bon without becoming embarrassed or saying something awkward.
She walked out of the bathroom and into her bedroom. She placed the image back in it's frame and studied it a pinch more. Lyra wasn't even focusing on the photo anymore, it was just her crush in general. Her bad temper made her chuckle and pranking her with that attitude always made for an interesting show! Bon Bon was very accepting as well and didn't judge others by their covers. The sandy colored mare was very modest and shy at times and Lyra always had to comfort her around large crowds.
Lyra could go on and on about the things that made her love Bon Bon. This fact repulsed her simply because it wasn't tradition at all for a female pony to love another female pony. It wasn't normal and it wasn't the way nature intended it to be. And yet, even with all of this being acknowledged, the unicorn just couldn't stop loving her. So, instead, she began to shut her out.
She glanced over at the calender hanging on the wall and counted how long it had been since she spoke to her. Lyra shook her head in sadness, it had been three whole weeks since she last communicated with her best friend and, well, her mind was filled with guilt. She considered apologizing over the telephone or sending a letter, but neither would suffice. Lyra would have to talk with her directly and confess.
The unicorn took a deep breath, she knew that today would be the only day she would have the courage to tell her. What was she supposed to say anyway? This wasn't a sappy romance novel where the pony approaches their crush, blurts that they love them, and they live happily ever after. This wasn't even remotely similar because happy endings were a lie, merely a dream or fabrication. Life never let's you rest and there will always be something to throw you for a loop no matter what, similar to a roller coaster.
Boy, she sure was light-headed from this coaster! Their relationship was truly a ride after all, there were so many loops, corkscrews, and sharp turns that kept you questioning what came next. Lyra once again shook her head, as if that helped silence her thoughts. The mare approached the front door and used her magic to open, close it, and lock it once outside. The pony walked down the roads of Ponyville, heart racing in anticipation.
As she continued walking, she spotted a flower shop. She knew the owner was Roseluck, whom she didn't have a close relationship with, but she did consider the florist a friend. Her hooves kicked up the dry dirt as she crossed the road to arrive at the front door of the shop. The building was very small and had a cozy feeling to it. The inside and outside of the store was painted a lime green. Inside, flower bouquets lined the walls and ran vertically in aisles. Some pots hung from the ceiling, some even had vines that tickled your neck if you weren't aware and walked beneath them.
She glanced around for a nice bunch of flowers until she spotted a bouquet with delicate daisies and passionate roses. The flowers must have just bloomed because the petals were a deep blood red and the daisies were a ghost-like white. The flowers were perfect for her hopefully-to-be-special-some-pony and she used her magic to select the bouquet carefully out of the crowd. Lyra then trotted up to the counter and placed the flowers down. The peach colored pony with the red mane approached the unicorn with curiosity on her face. She eyed up the bouquet with a smug expression.
"What's the occasion?" Roseluck questioned.
Lyra hesitated and could only utter a couple of words, "S-special some pony...."
Roseluck giggled, "You must have had your head in the clouds, you forgot your saddlebag and bits." the earth pony said with a girly giggle, peering over at her side. Lyra quickly began to apologize, but Roseluck just waved her off. She leaned in the same way two giddy fillies would exchange secrets in a schoolyard.
"It's on the house, but don't let the other customers know, alright?" She whispered, while smiling fondly and wished her luck with her lover. Lyra nodded her appreciation and walked out of the shop with a grateful expression. The mare felt the confidence that had possessed her heart evaporate as the bell on the shop door rang to announced her leaving. The street was buzzing a bit more than it was when she entered the shop.
Nevertheless, she trotted down the street trying to contain her anxiety. The unicorn was a nervous wreck and rapid thoughts swirled around her mind. They were all the same basic question - will she give me a chance? Lyra wasn't sure how her best friend would react to her news, but she had to confess before she lost her sanity.
The pony took multiple turns and she soon found herself at Bon Bon's home. The earth pony lived in a cute, dainty little cottage with small bushes lining the outside walls, a gap where the steps led to the front door. Lyra walked slowly up to the front door, heart racing a mile a minute. She took a deep breath and raised her hoof to the door. Finally, she exhaled and knocked.
"Who's there?" a sweet, familiar voice called. Lyra shifted hooves nervously before responding.
"It's me, Bon." she said, the anxiety shrouding her voice. She heard a faint gasp from inside and the sound of the door unlocking. The mare did not open the door for Lyra like she usually did, but Lyra didn't let that bother her too much. The unicorn stepped inside and walked across the wooden floor, closing the door behind her. Bon Bon was in the short hallway that lead to her room, facing her door.
Lyra looked at the ground and sighed. She continued to hold the flowers in her cyan magic. Just as Lyra was going to speak, she was interrupted.
"What do you want, Lyra?" she said scornfully.
"Bon Bon, I'm sorry, okay? I know I ignored you, but I have a good reason!" she insisted, feeling her stomach doing flips.
"Reason? Reason? For ignoring your best friend for three weeks? I don't believe that-" the mare continued to rant, but Lyra had something to say and she refused to hold it back any longer. Bon Bon deserved to know how Lyra felt about her and even if it destroyed their friendship, she needed to know.
"I love you."
Their was a silence in the room, Bon Bon's mouth hanging wide and Lyra's eyes staring at the floor as pink covered her cheeks. Her eyes began to tear up and moments after, she found herself crying. She watched the tears hit the floor.
"What are you talking about!?" the earth pony yelled, incredulously. Lyra wasn't looking, but she had the feeling her friend's face had turned red like it normally did during an argument.
"Bon Bon, I am in love with you. I know that it's shocking and wrong, but I can't help it. I'm head over hooves for you and I can't change that. Please, just hear me out!"
Silence. Lyra was sure how her friend felt - confused. Lyra knew how she felt too - broken. The unicorn finally decided to stop staring at the wooden floorboards and look at the mare she loved so dearly. The pounding of her heart and blood pounding in her ears from worry must have muffled the sound of Bon Bon's hooves, for she was now facing Lyra. Bon Bon's face was puzzled, her ears laying flat against her head. She had guessed correctly, her face was red and tears were beginning to pour from Bon Bon's eyes. They were silent tears and the only sound in the room was the sound of their breathing.
"Bon Bon -"
"Get out."
"Please, Bon Bon I -"
"Get out, Lyra!" she screamed as she turned for her bedroom door. Sobbing, Lyra turned and walked out the front door, setting the flowers down before doing so. Galloping away from her cottage with tears streaming down her face, she wound her way through the traffic in Ponyville's streets. Some ponies tried to question her on why she was crying, but she didn't answer them and continued galloping. When she finally arrived home, she commenced to full-on bawling.
She managed to get to her bed and continued her loud hiccups, wheezing, and simply crying. The green unicorn had wrapped herself in her blankets and after awhile, drifted off to sleep. Her slumber was dreamless and empty and Lyra could still feel her heartbreak despite being asleep.
***
Bon Bon had never had her heart broken before. She never had a colt-friend break up with her, or perhaps she didn't remember if they did. Odds are, they had dumped her and she hadn't cared enough to remember. She now understood every "break-up" song she had ever heard and the pain was unbearable. Her heart physically ached and cringed as she remembered the dear friend that had just confessed to being in love with her.
"Maybe if she was a stallion," Bon Bon thought, "I would consider it, but she is a mare! How could I possibly love a mare? It just seems so unrealistic and simply abashing! How dare Lyra even suggest such a thing."
Pause.
"How long has she felt this way? Do I return her feelings? Preposterous!"
Bon Bon was lying in bed. She had a horrible time falling asleep and she had woken up extra early. The pony considered making breakfast, but she was simply too exhausted.
"Could I give her a chance? She is my best friend, so we do know we are compatible - at least - somewhat compatible. Lyra and I have been friends for six years and I can't lose her this way! I just don't understand. Could I like stallions and mares? Preposterous, Bon-Bon, how absurd."
The thought had intrigued her despite her pessimistic side ridiculing her. She liked stallions and she was considering dating a mare, so what did that mean? She had heard the term "homosexual", but that meant you preferred the same gender. What if she liked both genders? What was that called?
She reached for her dictionary she kept underneath her bed and after searching searching for a couple minutes, found the word "homosexual" .
ho·mo·sex·u·al
ˌhōməˈsekSHo͞oəl/
adjective
1.
(of a pony) romantically attracted to ponies of one's own gender.
noun
noun: homosexual; plural noun: homosexuals
1.
a pony who is romantically attracted to ponies of their own gender.
synonyms: gay, lesbian; bisexual
She read the definition and synonyms carefully. She understood the definition fully and she knew of the (in her opinion) distasteful terms "lesbian" and "gay" Then there was "bisexual" She had never heard this word before and soon found herself flipping through the pages of her dictionary searching for the meaning. Could this be it?
bi·sex·u·al
bīˈsekSHo͞oəl/
adjective
1.
romantically attracted to both mares and stallions.
noun
noun: bisexual; plural noun: bisexuals
1.
a pony who is romantically attracted to both mares and stallions.
Pause.
The definition stuck out to her. She could understand and she felt something click on the inside. Everything made sense to her now and she found herself ready to cry. After meeting Lyra, Bon-Bon had a difficult time finding a colt-friend. Stallions rarely intrigued her, but what pony always made her world better? Lyra Heartstrings, of course! It wasn't like she made her happier and Bon-Bon assumed it was love this isn't a sappy romance novel!), from the very beginning there was something in the unicorn's aura that drew her like a moth to a flame.
Heart pounding with overwhelming joy, Bon-Bon galloped from her bedroom, through the neighborhood, and finally, the streets of Ponyville. It didn't take the earth pony long to reach the unicorn's home. When Bon-Bon was overjoyed she could give Rainbow Dash herself a run for her money! Once she reached Lyra's home she bounded up to the door and knocked carefully, excited to see her lover. It was strange to be addressing her this way, but it made her happy all the same.
She received no response from inside - no movement, speech, nothing. Bon-Bon immediately began to worrying. The sandy colored pony had heard stories about a pony being judged or mistreated about things like this and they did horrible things to themselves. Her heart began beating furiously as worry enveloped her. The earth-pony found herself beating on the front door screaming Lyra's name ruefully.
The mare turned around and threw her weight onto her front legs and forced her strength into her hind legs and as her back hooves met the wooden door, she felt her hooves swell up. She heard the door crash against the floor and in a single swift maneuver dashed inside the house. The unicorn was not in the den, the kitchen, or even her bedroom. As she paced up and down the halls, she realized the bathroom door was closed and the faucet was running. She attempted to open the door, but it was locked. Once again, she turned to kick the door down.
Instead, she recalled a key above the door that could be used to unlock every door in the house. Lyra had told her about it months ago and she was surprised she actually remembered it. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to injure her hooves more than she already had. She leaned on her hind legs, just like Lyra had taught her, to reach up for the key. After snatching it, she placed the key into the hole, inhaled sharply, and turned the doorknob.
Her heart nearly stopped.
"Lyra! Lyra, please stop!" she cried.
The unicorn looked a mess. Her mane was pocking up in awkward places and her coat was dull. Lyra didn't have the fiery aura she usually gave off. Bon-Bon's eyes was pouring tears as she came to realize what Lyra had done and was attempting to do. The green mare stood on her hind legs, leaning on the sink. A bottle of pills was spilled over onto the white tile floor. Lyra's mint green magic held a sharp, glistening razor blade in the air. She was about to commit suicide because of her sexuality and the hurt Bon-Bon had caused her.
Bon-Bon pushed the razor away as she threw herself at her dear friend, cutting her hoof in the process. Her sweet Lyra was in a daze and couldn't register anything in her blank eyes.
"She took those drugs!" she said, thinking aloud. Tears spilled down her cheeks as the unicorn's eyes drifted closed. Bon-Bon galloped into the kitchen, searching for Lyra's home phone. Grabbing the phone in a rush, she dialed 9-1-1.
"Hello, 9-1-1 operator, what is your emergency?"
"My friend attempted suicide! She took some drugs and she passed out, please help her!"
"Please calm down, what is your name?"
"Bon-Bon and my friend is Lyra Heartstrings."
The call continued with instructions on how to calm down, where the two ponies were, details on how Lyra looked, if Bon-Bon was injured, etc. The ambulance soon arrived, sirens blaring loudly. The flash of red and blue lights made Bon-Bon dizzy and she was escorted by two gentle mares into the vehicle and before leaving to help the others, tied a bandage around her bleeding hoof. Lyra was loaded up and as the noise and heartache revolved around her, she felt her eyes drifting shut.
"I'm so sorry, Lyra." was her last thought before she fell asleep from worry and exhaustion.
***
Two ponies cuddled closely near a fire, two glasses of wine beside them in sparkling glasses. The violet liquid was a fine touch to the romantic evening. It had been a week or two since "the incident" and the two mares talked all of their relationship issues out. Bon-Bon was a proud bisexual and Lyra a homosexual. They were happy together, giggling together and taunting each other about miscellaneous reasons. Nothing had really changed except the fluttering they had in their heart, the kisses, their cuddles, and romantic hugs.
The nurses had worked very hard to save Lyra and they succeeded. They told Bon-Bon that if she called for help a few minutes later, Lyra probably wouldn't have survived. The mare had not been able to use the blade, but she did take the pills. Lyra explained that she wanted it to be painless and quick, which made the earth-pony sob more than a foal in a week. What would she have done if Lyra had died? Bon-Bon honestly believe she would do the same as Lyra had done.
Nonetheless the couple were very happy together and nothing seemed to go wrong just yet. Lyra's attempt at suicide made Bon-Bon realize how short life truly is and nothing in your life should keep you from living it the way you want. You live once and being worried about what others think is pointless if you aren't happy. Happiness is the key to a good life and the romance she has with her filly-friend made her happy and realize love - no matter what- will always be love.
"Bon-Bon?" Lyra asked, holding her filly-friend closer.
"Yeah?" Bon-Bon replied, cheeks turning pink as her eyes drifted shut, yawning faintly.
"Even though I know there will always be conflicts to be resolved in life, I think I believe in happy endings now."
Bon-Bon giggled, "Me too."
"I love you."
"I love you more."
****
